Improvement in the Collection of Disability Statistics in Support of the CRPD and MDGs

1. Improvement in the Collection of Disability Statistics in Support of the CRPD and MDGs Keiko Osaki-Tomita Chief Demographic and Social Statistics Branch United Nations Statistics Division Third Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities New York, 3 September 2010

2. Outline • Collection of disability statistics through the 2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme • Guidance on the development of disability statistics • Mainstreaming disability into the MDGs • The way forward

3. Challenges of Disability Statistics • Disability statistics still seriously suffer from: - Availability - Reliability - Comparability • Global figures on PWDs are not readily available. • Obstacles to the effective formulation of disability-inclusive policies and programmes.

4. Census as a tool to collect disability data • A population census is usually the largest statistical activity, which systematically acquires and records information about all members of a given population at a specific time. • A census can provide valuable information on disability and human functioning in a country. • UNSD takes a lead of the 2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme, which recommends countries to have a census at least once between 2005 and 2014.

5. Topics to be investigated in population censues UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Rev. 2 (2008) Disability status is one of 25 core topics, highly recommended to be investigated by census Based on ICF concept, it recommends that the four domains (walking, seeing, hearing, cognition) be considered essential in determining disability status

6. Disability data captured by census • As of 1 August, a census was conducted by100 countries as a part of 2010 census round. By 2014, all but 8 countries in the world would conduct a census. • Among 75 census questionnaires received by UNSD, • 52 included disability questions • 43 utilized the core set of disability questions as recommended • Washington Group on Disability Statistics develops a short set of questions on disability suitable for use in censuses and conducts field tests.

7. Countries and areas where disability question was included in census (total: 52)

8. Guidance on the development of disability statistics UN Guidelines and Principles for the Development of Disability Statistics (2001) • International framework and conceptual basis for the definition and classification of disabilities • A guide to the basic steps in the data collection process • Methodologies for disability data collection by source of information

9. UNSD’s work on MDGs • Responsible for the global and regional monitoring of MDGs (in collaboration with IAEG on MDG Indicators). • Maintains the MDG Indicator database and website, and publishes a MDG report annually. • PWDs are often denied their rights to education, a decent employment, proper heal care and accessible sanitation facilities – all related to MDG goals. • But, PWDs were not included in the Millennium Declaration.

10. Mainstreaming disability in the MDGs • Inclusion of disability in the MDG reports • MDG 2009 • Under Goal 2 (education), recognition that children with disabilities have unequal opportunities • MDG 2010 • Under Goal 2 (education), illustrative data from a few countries • Identification of appropriate data • World Health Surveys • National data sources (censuses and surveys) using the Washington Group questions • Creation of a Task Team on MDGs and PWDs within the IAEG on MDG Indicators.

11. The Way Forward ….. • Monitoring of census implementation and results, especially… • Tabulation of disability data • Dissemination of disability data • Task Team on MDGs and PWDs within the IAEG on MDG Indicators • 1st meeting planned for the Fall 2010 • Search for suitable information for the 2011 MDG outputs

12. Thank you ! http:unstats.un.org/unsd.htm